Safety net
by Axhwrites
Summary: Alex and Jo are elated at the news of their baby. However, things dont go as planned. Always look in the shadows...
1. chapter one (04-04 17:15:46)

(Jo's POV)

I ran around my loft with my favourite rom-com in hand. I looked behind me to see if my boyfriend, Alex, was still chasing me. He had stopped. 

"We always watch that movie," Alex complained "when can I pick?" He asked, between breaths. 

"When I let you." I bent over, hands on my knees, as I tried to catch my breath. The Last couple of times we ran around I was perfectly fine. 

Alex sighed "that's never going to happen." He mumbled, more on a the cranky side. He looked at me "you okay?" After no response he put his hand on my shoulder "Jo? Are you okay?" He took my hand and made me sit down 

After a caught my breath I lunged my body off the couch, well, only halfway before I felt a hand on my arm "what are you doing?" Alex asked. He was insanely protective. 

I pulled my arm back "water." I stood up all the way and walked to the kitchen, feeling really dizzy. I grabbed the edge of the counter and close my eyes. 

Alex stood up and walked to me "Are you okay?" He rubbed my back. 

I opened my mouth to say I'm fine, instead, threw up in the sink. Everything went black. 

I woke up in the hospital, attached to an IV. I looked up at alex "what happened?" I groaned. I raised my hand to touch my head as Alex responded, "you passed out. The baby is fine." 

"The-the What? I'm- pregnant?" Surprisingly my mind was blank. The only thought was, are you sure it's okay? 

Alex nodded as a smile grew on his face "the baby is fine." 

I guess he can read minds now, or maybe faces.

He stroked my hair "go to sleep. You need it." I nodded, closing my eyes. I fell asleep immediately. 

I was woken up by a bunch of rustling. I fluttered my eyes open to see, Arizona standing at the end of my bed, talking to Alex. I furrowed my eyebrows "what's going on?" 

They both turn there attention to me "shes just here to update us," alex crossed his arms "and give you an ultrasound." He gave Arizona puppy dog eyes. 

Arizona pulled he machine out from the dark corner "there's no point of puppy dog eyes. I was going to do it anyway." She said, which was followed by mine and Alex's small laughs. 

I lifted my shirt up. Arizona grabbed the bottle of gel "fair warning, this will be cold." She squeezed it out, onto my stomach. I flinched when it landed just under my belly button. She stuck the wand on my stomach, looking at the screen. The baby was tiny, almond sized. I furrow my eyebrows "how did you even know I was pregnant?" 

"Blood test. Alex ordered every test possible," she narrowed her eyes as she looked at the baby "the baby looks perfectly fine. You're about a week along." She said as she printed off pictures 

I smiled at the screen "it's so tiny" 

Alex squeezed my hand "he or she is perfect." He planted a kiss on my forehead 

Nothing could shake this feeling. Well.. something can and did.


	2. chapter two (04-15 16:18:50)

The following week was full of nausea and foot rubs. The morning sickness had really been kicking my ass. We still hadn't told anyone, and weren't planning on it anytime soon. We knew the risks with pregnancies, being doctors and all. Everything was normal, except for this feeling I couldn't shake- Like someone was watching me. Alex tells me it's hormones- that's all he ever tells me.

I get awoken by my boyfriends lips pressing against my cheek "'Morning," He wiped the crumbs off my cheek. He had a habit of kissing me with toast crumbs on his mouth. I hated it. "For gods sake, Alex! Wash your face!" I sprung up, cranky. The baby was messing with my emotions... A LOT. Alex groaned, just loud enough for me to hear "Don't." I snapped, getting out of bed. We both got ready, occasionally exchanging glares. Today wouldn't be my day, and that's for sure.

I pushed my hair behind my ear, looking out the window as Alex drove. Something about the blue skies and fluffy white clouds gave me a sense of relaxation. "Boy or girl?" I heard a husky voice from beside me ask. I assumed he was trying to be friendly- lighten the mood. "Girl." I said, putting my hand on my stomach as I took a long and sharp breath of air. I still hadn't gotten used to the idea of a baby. I didn't really want to think about it. Don't get me wrong, I loved this baby, but it's a lot. I heard a muffled voice beside me. I didn't know what his exact words were, zoneing out. I assumed Alex was telling me it would be a boy. Stubborn was in his blood.

I closed my eyes, letting my imagination take over. I thought about my child's fingers and toes, the way her cheeks would get rosy when she was tired. I smiled, warming up to the idea. My mind raced around, thinking about the day I would give birth.

 _"Congratulations.. it's a beautiful baby girl." the doctor laid her in my arms, letting me see all her features. I smiled at her enchanting green eyes, the way they pulled you into her thoughts told you she was curious and kind, lovable and quiet, and of course, stubborn. She wouldn't be a karev if she wasn't stubborn. I grinned at her dirty blonde hair-_

"Jo?" I snapped out of my daydream "Everything okay?" Alex asked

"I'm okay. Just thinking."

"About?"

"The baby."

Alex nodded, pulling into his parking spot. He helped me out. We walked into the hospital, hand in hand. "Bye," He pecked my cheek. We went our separate ways. I met up with my best friend, Stephanie Edwards. "Steph! Wait!" I said, running after her. I stopped to throw up in the nearest trash can. Activity made me nauseous, which is weird. "Are you okay?" The bright eyed woman asked "I'm," I paused "Pregant." I shouldn't of told her. I messed up. But she was my person, how could I not tell her?

"Really?"

"Really." I

"How far along?"

"thirteen weeks."

Stephanie raised her hands to cover her mouth. As far as i could tell, she wasn't thrilled. "You're in the middle of your residency, Jo. What were you thinking?" She said, crossing her arms "I wasn't. This wasn't planned. I wasn't happy at first, But steph.. Theres a human being inside of me. This is my child." I said, wrapping my arms around my stomach. "Good luck." And with that, she walked away. Those would be the last words I heard from her for awhile- but you weren't supposed to know that.


	3. chapter three

A/N: from now on i'm going to be switching to third person :) sorry for the inconvenience

Jo fluttered her eyes open as she listened to the birds chirping outside her window. She put her hand on top of Alex's, lacing their fingers. She squeezed her eyes shut, not ready to get out of bed. Today was both of their day off. She had wanted to do something, but now that she was in his arms, things changed. She didn't want to leave his warm and inviting embrace.

She nuzzled her head back, into Alex's chest. Inresponse, Alex pulled her frail body closer. He tried keeping his eyes open as he brushed his thumb over Jo's hand.

Jo felt safest in his arms. Nothing could hurt her with him around. He wouldn't allow it. She fell asleep as the sun graced her cheeks and nose. The glow made her smile more apparent. Alex adored that smile. It was his favourite thing in the world, and to think there might be one just like it soon warmed his heart.

He traced circles on her arm as he fully woke up. He didn't plan on waking her up, nor did he plan on getting out of bed. This was perfect. He was with his two favourite humans. One of them being the unborn child, of course. Nether the less, Life couldn't of been better.

He took in a deep breath of Jo's signature scent. It didn't smell like anything you'd find in a store. Maybe it was a mix of her deodorant and perfume. Or her conditionor. Whatever it was, it made Jo, Jo. Alex tucked a piece of her chestnut hair behind her ear, looking down at her features.

You could tell, just by looking at her, that her skin would be soft. Her hair glistened a golden brown in the sun. It was beautiful.

He pressed his lips onto her temple. He couldn't help it. It was like it was telling him too.

He needed to wake her up, as much as he didn't want to. Alex had a plan for the day. It was a bright and sunny Saturday, so why not? He gently shook Jo's arm, "Babe?"

"Mmm?" She grumbled as she woke up. Again. "What time is it?"

"It's ten." He said, chuckling under his breath. He sat up and readjusted his pillows, pulling Jo up with him. "Let's go."

After getting ready they headed to the first destination; the park.

Alex pulled the blanket out of his bag. "Hold the other corners." He instructed as they laid the red blanket on the emerald green grass. They sat down, interlocking their fingers.

"Why did you take me here?" She pulled out their pasta from the night before.

"Because. I wanted to do something different."

"Oh" She nodded, pealing the ziplock lid off. She handed Alex a fork. They were going to share a dish. They liked to say it was to save water, when, in reality they were just plain lazy.

"I'll be right back." Jo said, standing up "Your baby is kicking my bladder." She started walking toward the bathroom.

As she walked in as was overwhelmed with the awful stench you'd find in any public bathroom. She clenched her jaw, trying to keep her gag reflex. It would make any person gag, not to mention she was pregnant.

After using it she walked out. She felt a warm hand warm, around her waist. She jumped, talking a deep breath as she realized it was just her boyfriend. "Hey.. It's just me." Alex stroked her cheek, taking her hand as they walked back.

They packed up and headed home. Jo was tired, as usual.

Jo laid down in their bed as Alex cleaned up the loft. He was actually good at it. His childhood had a play in that.

He crawled into bed next to Jo. He wrapped his arm around her, falling asleep "I love you." He mumbled.


	4. chapter four

iIt was a cold december day. A fresh blanket of snow coated the streets, leaving the grass frozen. Jo was now thriteen weeks into her pregnancy.

She stood outside with her hands in her light grey trench coat pockets, staring out into the white abyss.The only thing that stood out against the snow was her frost bitten cheeks and nose. She waited and waited for her visitor. Well, technically, she was the visitor.

"Alex," She said as she watched the scruffy man walk up to her, shivering. "Let me explain" She said, reaching out for the riveting man.

"No, Izzie. You left me, you don't get to explain." Alex huffed, rubbing his hands together. "You've had five years to explain."

Izzie gripped his gloved hand "You have a son. I was pregnant when I left."

He stood there in complete shock. "Why didn't you tell me?! You kept me from raising him!" He exclaimed, too enraged to think of the one problem: She couldn't of been pregnant. Her eggs were frozen.

"I didn't want to mess up your life! I didn't want to keep you from being happy." She said. This was not an on the spot kind of deal. She had this all planned out for days.

"Oh, stop it! Stop making excuses for depriving me of my son! My child..." Alex pulled his hand back, stumbling back "Jo..." He said under his breath. What was he going to tell Jo?

"Alex, Im sorry." She said, giving him on her captivitng looks. "Let's sit down and talk about this.." She suggested, guiding him to the bench. They sat down and discussed everything. Alex slowly started to understand, for some unknown reason.

"What's his name?" Alex asked, looking sheepishly at the ground.

"Carson." Alex definitely wouldn't of chosen that name, but it was nice.

They talked for another hour before they picked a date to meet the boy. Izzie put her hand on his face, pulling him into a kiss. Having to rehash this part of his life brought up a lot of feelings he had shoved down. So he did the only thing he shouldn't of done, kiss back.

"Uh, No. I cant do this." Alex rushed off. How the hell did he go from enraged to kissing her?


	5. chapter five

Earlier Jo prepared a nice dinner for Alex, burning her fingers on the matches while lighting the candles multiple times. It was his first day he got off early in weeks. Eventually the food got cold, the candles got blown out, and Jo changed out of her red dress. The one Alex adored. She was now in one of his ratty old tee shirts and fuzzy pants. She sat on the couch, staring at the door.

Alex came home, a guilty look plastered on his face. He looked at the set up table. That only made him feel worse. Obviously it wasn't a home cooked meal, but it was the thought that counted.

"Alex?" Jo called out, standing up. She crept into the kitchen "Where were you?" She asked.

"I-I had an emergency surgery." He lied, sitting down. He groaned "No, I didn't. I was with Izzie."

"Like, broke your heart Izzie? Left you without thinking Izzie?" Jo asked, crossing her arms.

"Yeah."

"What happened?"

"We talked. I- Uh- Have a son." He spat out as quickly as possible.

"Wait, What?! Alex, you can't have a son. She lied to you. She can't have kids..." Jo furrowed her eyebrows "What else happened?" She asked, dreading what came next.

"Nothing..." He bit his lip. They had this rule about being honest with each other, and he just broke it. "She- We kissed. It meant nothing!" He sprung up, trying to stop Jo from packing up her stuff.

"How could it not? I cant be with someone I don't trust!" Jo said, sobbing as she shoved some things into a plastic bag. "You broke my trust, again. You broke it again, Alex! I gave you a second chance! I... just can't." She threw her jacket on.

"I didn't- It just happened! I'm sorry!" Alex said, grabbing her arm "Please don't leave."

"Don't ever grab me like that again!" She shouted before fleeing the loft.

She ran into her car, throwing the stuff in the back. She held her face in her hands, letting her emotions take over. She sobbed and sobbed. She knew she couldn't trust Alex, so why did she? She put her heart out there, just for it to be broken.

She laid her hand on her stomach "I'm so so so sorry.." She croaked.


	6. chapter six

Jo sat outside her old building, just crying. She wiped her tears, sniffling. She looked straight ahead as she drove, tears rolling down her cheeks. It honestly felt like a dream. She never thought Alex would cheat on her. It felt like someone was going to pinch her. Like she as going to wake up in Alex's arms, having the same _amazing_ feeling they did earlier that day.

She pulled up to a janky, run down motel. Jo hopped out of the car, trudging through the snow. Before she even made it to the check-in she felt an arm wrap around her waist. This wasn't like anything she knew. This was meant to hurt her.

She felt a cloth cover her mouth, muffling her screams. Her surroundings went black as her body fell limp. The man picked her up, bridal style. He walked to his car, laying her in the passengers seat. He buckled her up with such care.

Jo whimpered in her sleep. The man brushed stray hairs out of her face, "Shhh, don't be scared." He smirked.

At 2:43 AM they arrived at the apartment building. It was just out of town. The perfect place for a kidnaping (if you didn't want it to be obvious. Other wise a old warehouse would do the job).

Jo was laid down in the big queen bed located in the master bedroom, around the corner from the bathroom. The man locked the door, walking to the couch. He laid down. He was so gentle yet rough. You couldn't tell what his plans were for the girl.

 **12:00 PM**

Jo woke up, grumbling. She flinched, groaning as the sunlight hit her eyes. She wiped the drool from the corner of her mouth. Where was she?

She climbed out of bed. She fumbled with the door knob, panicking as it didn't it

open up.


	7. chapter seven

As soon as he heard the doorknob jiggling he opened it. He wasn't going to let her know this was a kidnapping. "Who are you?" Jo asked, terrified (Mainly for her baby's life).

"I'm Paul. You were very drunk, stumbling out of the bar. I'd be surprised if you remembered anything." He said, smiling. "How are you?".

She knew that wasn't true. She would never have drank while pregnant. That's just not like her. She staggered backwards "I'm fine." She said, bluntly.

"Hungry? I made pancakes." He said, walking into the kitchen. Something was up, but Jo couldn't turn down the pancakes. She hadn't eaten anything in almost 24 hours.

She sat down next to Paul, watching as he poured the syrup over her two pancakes. "That's enough." She said softly. There wasn't much talking between the two. So there they sat, quietly eating their pancakes. Maybe the feeling she had was wrong. He seemed really nice.

Alex sat on the couch with his head in his hands. How could he? He drove his pregnant girlfriend away because of his ex-wife? He finally remembered what Jo said; There's no way she had a baby.

He sprung up, grabbing his coat. He needed to talk to Izzie (or yell). He slid his shoes on and ran out, shivering as the snowflakes touched his nose. He hopped into his car and drove to the nearest trailer park. That's where he figured she would be staying. She figured she would be staying with her mom.


	8. chapter eight

Alex parked his car outside the trailer park, hopping out quite harshly. He slammed his door shut and stomped to the first person he saw; a tall scruffy man dressed in a heavy winter coat, a dirty band tee shirt, baggy jeans, and clunky old boots. "Do you know where Isobel Stevens is?" Alex huffed "O-Or Robbie Stevens. I need one of them."

The man scratched the back of his neck "Uh- Why do you want to know? Actually, I don't care." He paused "They're in trailer #12. Or they should be." Alex nodded, walking away. He ran his lines through his head as he approached trailer #12.

He pounded on the door, angry. He would've liked to say he was just mad at Izzie, but that's not entirely true. He was mad at himself for kissing Izzie. He was mad for believing her. He was mad at himself for letting Jo walk out like that- with their child. And only god knows where she went.

After 30 seconds of waiting he pounded on the door again. Midway through his third knock the door swung open to show a blonde haired beauty. There was no denying she was beautiful (But definitely not as beautiful as the love of his life, Jo wilson.).

"What the hell, Izzie?!" He exclaimed. If it were possible to have smoke coming out of your ears, it would be happening.

"Woah, woah. Calm down." She said, raising her hand as if to be calming a horse.

"You lied to me!" He yelled, pointing his finger at her.

Izzie gulped. She knew that lie wouldn't last long. "I-I'm still in love with you."

"Oh, don't be so naive." He groaned "Just leave me and my family alone, okay? do you have that locked into that messed up brain of yours."

"Alex-"

"Get out of my life, you crazy bitch!" He ran out, slamming the door behind him.


	9. chapter nine

December 1st 2018.

It had been a few days with this man. He offered to let Jo stay and knowing she didn't have anywhere to go (no more money to go to a hotel), she agreed. Free food and free shelter. What more could she want?

Jo covered her mouth with her hand after sticking a spoonful of fruit loops into her mouth, feeling a weird sensation in her abdomen. She ran to the bathroom and threw up in the toilet. She sat, leaning against the toilet. "What's going on, bug?" She asked softly as she laid her small hand on her stomach. "Please tell me you're okay," She exhaled shakily "If you arent, I would never- Just- Just please be okay." she said, mostly to herself.

She stood up and walked out, into the kitchen. "Hey, Paul." She greeted warmly, with a kind grin.

"Hi." He replied, scratching his stumble covered chin. "Maybe you should lay off of the pancakes for a while. You look bigger." He said, chuckling.

Jo glanced down at her body, eyes welling up with tears. She covered her stomach with her arms, trying to hide as much as possible. She knew she would grow during this pregnancy (obviously), but not this soon. She knew Paul was harsh, but not mean. "Well, I'm pregnant..." She said, rolling the hem on her dirty grey shirt between her fingers.

"What?!" He didn't think she would be carrying another mans child— or he hoped. He muttered to himself, as if he was trying to form a new plan in his head.

"If that's not okay, i'll leave." Jo said meekly. To be honest Paul scared her. He was so unpredictable.

"No!" He snapped. He cleared his throat and said "No. It's fine." This was just an issue they could get past. "You and your baby need the best care possible." He smiled (devilishly).


	10. chapter ten

Jo had hardly slept that night. The not-only-morning sickness kept her up, as well as that same sensation in her stomach from earlier (which really scared her).

She hovered over the toilet, holding back her tears. What if something really was wrong with her baby?

She laid down on the cold tiles "Oh... this is nice." Jo mumbled tiredly. She rubbed circles on her stomach, letting the tears free fall. This was torture. And the worst part was not having her soulmate by her side. She closed her heavy eyelids as she was overcome by sleep.

Around two hours later she was woken up, again. She pulled her hair back as she threw up in the toilet. She walked out of the bathroom, out into the open planned kitchen/living room. She opened the fridge, on a desperate search for strawberries. She paused as she heard the creaking of the floor boards. "What are you doing?" Paul asked, cranky.

She stood up and closed the door "I thought you might have strawberries..." She said. There was a hitch in her breath as she turned around. She didn't think someone would be so mad over some strawberries.

"So, you think you can just take my food now?!" He asked, furrowing his eyebrows in anger.

"I didn't think it would be a big deal..." She paused "Sorry. I didn't eat any-" She was cut of by a slap across her face.

"I don't care! You don't take anything from here!" He exclaimed as Jo tried not to sob. She had never been this terrified in her life.

She held her hand to the red spot on her cheek, wincing. "I'll-Ill go." She ran into her to grab her stuff, but before she knew it, she was locked in.


	11. chapter eleven

Jo woke up to the sun beaming through the window to kiss her nose and cheeks, and a fresh blanket of snow. She fluttered her eyes open to look out the window. Everything was peaceful— almost perfect.

She placed her hand on her stomach, grinning. She flinched as she felt another hand on top of hers. She let out a breath as she heard a familiar yet unsettling voice "Is the baby kicking?"

Jo crawled out of bed, uncomfortable. She grabbed her white tee shirt, glancing back at Paul, waiting for him to get out or look away. He gave her a look, saying; Go ahead. She bit her cheek, bundling the shirt in her hands. She wasn't comfortable with that, but being too terrified to say anything, she slid her super baggy grey shirt over her head. She gasped as she looked in the mirror. She had started showing, and by the looks of it, it happened a while ago. She put her hand on her stomach, grinning wildly. She opened her mouth to call her boyfriend, Alex, closing it quickly. She cleared her throat and tossed her old shirt on the bed. She felt Paul brush up against her from behind, pulling her closer by her hips. He kissed her neck, sending tingles down to her toes (not the good kind). She felt herself become helpless and scared for a second before pushing away from him "No, that's not how this will go. I have boundaries. This is my body. I've let you hit and tease me, but i'm not letting you do this. This isn't happening." She grabbed her shirt, walking out. She ran into the bathroom, locking herself in. She took a few deep, shaky breaths before breaking down into sobs. What did she get herself into?


	12. chapter tweleve

December 24th 2017; Christmas Eve. 

Alex sat on the couch, looking at his pathetic excuse of a tree. He held the gift he had bought for Jo a while back as his mind traveled back to the same question he had been thinking since the day she left: how did this happen?

He unwrapped the gift, pulling out the black velvet box. He opened the box, taking out the ring. "Damnit..." He murmured, disappointed. He couldn't be angry anymore, because the only person to be angry at was himself, and he knew he couldn't do that all day. He held the ring in his hand as his eyes welled up with tears "I miss you..." he cried softly. He didn't know how or if he would get over her. That woman turned his world. She made him happier than anything the world had to offer. He couldn't help but think about the day he met her— the day he fell in love. The moment he laid eyes on the wonderful, enticing, sexy, beautiful, Jo Wilson, he knew that would be the woman to carry his children. If only he hadn't screwed up tremendously.

He looked around at the barely working Christmas lights Jo had bought years prior to this event. He chuckled, wiping his tears away as he thought about the day they were purchased:

"No, Alex. We need something christmas-y. And, we are not getting star trek themed things." Jo said as she grabbed Alex's hand, skipping down the brightly lit aisle. "How about these?" She asked, holding out a box of cheap lights. He nodded, chuckling. "What are you laughing at?" Her smile was infectious. It was impossible not to smile back at her.

Alex blinked, causing a few tears to fall. He looked at the small kitchen. He chuckled, thinking about the baking fails their family would share.

He took a slow gaze around the room before pulling his phone out, calling 911, and saying the words he should've much sooner.

"Hello. I'd like to report a missing person."


	13. chapter thirteen

December 31st 2018

It had been a whole week since the search for Jo began. It was truly the worst week of Alex's life. He just wanted to hold his love again. Tell her everything was going to be okay. That they would work it out. But, how did he know it would be okay? and how did he even know she was missing? There's no evidence. Well, expect for the fact that she hadn't been seen in a month.

Alex looked at the crib he assembled for his unborn child. Why did he do that? What were the chances of Jo forgiving him? It seemed useless— pathetic. But, he was not going to give up without a fight.

He sat, crisscrossed, on the floor as he began doing something he didn't even believe in. "Dear god, Please keep my family healthy and happy. Please bring them back to me..." He paused "Amen, or whatever." He mumbled or whatever, feeling ridiculous. He had never believed in that kind of stuff, but, his family was on the line. He was going to do everything in his power to protect them, even if it meant stepping out of his beliefs and comfort zone.

He grabbed one of Jos tee shirts holding it to his chest as he cried. Oh how he would kill to feel the touch of her skin again. The smell of her hair and then way it framed her face perfectly always filled Alex with great joy. He rubbed his eyes, making his way to his bed. He sat on the edge, uninterested in laying down without Jo.

His teary eyes darted around the room as his phone chimed. Every phone call he got filled him with hope... and sadness. He answered his phone with a giant knot in his stomach. "Mr Karev?"

"This is he. What happened?" He asked, feeling more nauseous than ever.

"We have found her."


	14. chpater fourteen

Seeing her sitting on the couch of a man no one knew, talking to the police officers as two others escorted Paul out of the building was extremely bittersweet. Seeing her bruised face was bittersweet.

Alex stood back, giving Jo space. He didn't want to push her limits. The fight they had a few months ago took a toll on them both. He watched as she twiddled her thumbs, sniffling. She twirled a lock of her hair with one hand, resting the other on her baby bump. He watched as she rubbed small circles. He couldn't imagine not being a part of their lives.

His eyes scanned the room as he listen to as much as he could, trying to determine what they were saying. Most of it was murmurs and mumbles from what he could hear.

The moment Jo laid her eyes on Alex she jumped up, running over to him. She wrapped her arms around him, crying into his shirt. The past seemed irrelevant in this moment.

Alex wrapped his arms around her, dismissing the cops for the time being. He stroked her hair as his eyes welled up with tears. "I will never leave you again. You're safe." He sniffled, pulling back to wipe her tears "Youre safe, you hear me?" He asked, in between demanding and kind. She nodded sheepishly, sniffling as she wiped her cheeks.

"I think- somethings wrong with- the- the baby." She choked out.

"Let's go get a check up on you and the baby, okay?" He took her hands, kissing the bruise on her forehead gently.


	15. chapter fifteen

Jo and Alex were transported from the apartment to the hospital by the ambulance. When they got there Jo was admitted, then examined. There was no internal injuries (thankfully), just a lot of external cuts and bruises. She slept for a few hours after the adrenaline rush was over and the pain meds kicked in. Alex sat in the rocking chair next to her bed, watching over her with a blanket up to his neck.

Arizona walked in with the ultrasound machine, smiling at the two of them. It was clear how much they loved each other, even if they were fighting. "Hey," Alex greeted quietly "She should be up any minute." She nodded in response, snapping on a pair of gloves.

Jo yawned as she woke up, grabbing her cup of water. She took a sip before realizing what was happening "Thanks for doing this, Az." She said, pulling her shirt up.

"Of course." She smiled, squeezing some of the gel on her stomach as Alex stood up and walked closer to Jo. "You said something felt wrong?"

"Yeah. I don't know how to explain it, but it just didn't feel right." She said, moving around to get comfortable before Arizona pressed the wand to her stomach.

She took a quick look at the fetus before gasping "Do you feel that?" she asked, getting a wary nod in return. "Your baby is kicking!"

"S-So nothings wrong?" Jo asked as her eyes filled with tears. Alex smiled, keeping his eyes on the screen. This was the first official ultrasound they had.

"Nothings wrong. Your baby is perfectly healthy. Do you want to know the gender?"

Alex and Jo gave each other a look, shaking their heads "I want it to be a surprise." Alex spoke.


	16. chapter sixteen

Three days later, Jo stuffed her black tote bag with her clothes. Alex had brought her some clean ones earlier that week. The air between them had been so thick you could cut it with a knife.

"I'll take your bag." Alex said, less offering and more demanding. He felt bad for making his pregnant, injured girlfriend carry the bag.

"No, i've got it." She said, picking up the bag. She draped her jacket over her arms. She grabbed her phone, sticking it in her pocket.

They both got in the car. Jo tossed the bag in the back before buckling up. "You know i'm sorry, right?" Alex asked, grabbing her attention "It really meant nothing, and if I have to lose you over a meaningless kiss... I don't know what i'd do. You mean more to me than anything else in this world- You are my world. Can we restart?"

She didn't respond, feeling like she had just been kicked in the gut. She stared blankly at him. After a few seconds of nothing but the sound of passing by cars, she finally spoke "What do you mean?"

"Will you go on a date with me?" He paused, collecting his thoughts "Or, can we go on a date... and talk?"

A smile tugged at Jos lips "Yeah," She spoke softly "I'd like that." for the first time in months, she felt loved. Whether or not she actually was- she felt it.


	17. chapter seventeen

Jo slept in the bed while Alex slept on the couch that night. She didn't trust him enough to sleep in the same bed, But, she was trying for her baby. They both were. In fact, they had a date planned for tomorrow night, leaving tonight for relaxing and catching up on their patients.

Jo yawned, waking up. She looked at the time, half grinning at the full nights sleep she got. She walked into the kitchen, bumping into Alex "Oh, sorry. I didn't know you were up." She rubbed her eyes, opening the fridge door.

"Yeah... We both start work again today." He set his cup of black coffee down "What are you looking for?"

"Strawberries." She said. She made a sound of triumph as she found them "It's been the only craving i've had."

Alex tried hiding his smile. The idea of his child made him so giddy, like teenage-girls-talking-about-boys giddy, but multiplied. "You're going to birth a strawberry." He muffled his chuckles as he met his lips to the mug.

Jo stifled a laugh, walking over to the sink. She washed all of the, taking a bite of one. "Want any?" She offered, holding out a new one.

"No, no. You go ahead," He pushed her hand away, setting his mug down. He walked into the bathroom, getting ready for work.

So there she stood, eating strawberries, five minutes late, and twenty-eight weeks pregnant. She didn't care about being late. All she cared about was her baby and these strawberries... and maybe Alex.

Jo quickly ate three more before putting them back in the fridge and walking into the bathroom. She brushed her teeth, hair, and washed her face before exiting and changing into her scrubs. She turned sideways as she looked in the mirror, smiling softly. "Ready?" She heard from behind her, nodding as she straighten out her tank top before pulling her scrub top down.

They walk to the car. Alex held the door open "Call or text me if anything is wrong with the baby, or if you see something/someone suspicious, okay?" He asked as she climbed in.

"Yes, I will." She buckled herself up, pulling down the shade with the mirror on it. She grabbed her mascara, applying it.

Alex pulled out of the driveway, starting their twenty minute journey to the hospital. The only sound in the car for the entirety of the car ride was the faint sound of song from the radio.

Once they arrived, they walked in and went their separate ways. Alex, to the paediatric ward, and Jo, to her best friend.


	18. chapter eighteen

Jo walked down the hall, keeping her head down to avoid all the looks. By now, everyone had heard she was pregnant and kidnaped. Rumours traveled around Grey Sloan like a wild fire.

She entered the residents lounge, sitting down next to Stephanie. Steph gasped, tackling her in a bear hug. She held her tight, sniffling. "God! I was so worried about you! I'm sorry I yelled at you for getting pregnant. I'm happy for you- I really am. I just didn't want you to derail your life. But, it's not like you can go back now." She rambled, saying almost everything she had wanted to.

"Steph," Jo interrupted "It's okay. I promise." She pulled away, grabbing her hands "I missed you. How's it going with Kyle?" She smirked

"Oh, no. We are talking about you for a second." Steph insisted.

An hour of Stephanie quizzing her on the baby and the kidnapping (Though, she didn't force that one too much) later.

"So you and Alex...?" She asked, genuine curiosity filling her body. She had heard about the fight the night it happened, but that was it.

Jo sighed, shrugging her shoulders in defeat "I-I don't know. I don't think we will work out again... but, at the same time, I really really want us too-" She looked away from her lap "For the baby, of course." She paused, letting out a deep breath "No. Not the for the baby. I mean, yes for the baby, but, also for me-"

"I understand." She nodded "You should try to make it work. No damage can be done by trying."

"He really hurt me, Steph." She let out a loud groan of frustration "I love him. But, I cant. Not now." Her eyes stung with tears as she rubbed circles on her stomach.

She really needed her best friend back.


	19. chapter nineteen

The next six weeks were full of talking, work, and strawberry eating. The closer the due date came the more they realized how unprepared they were. But, being doctors, they had no time to do anything.

Jo rolled out of bed, groaning. Today was the day they would buy and set up the stuff for the baby, and she was already exhausted. Don't get me wrong, she was super excited, just dreading the standing and walking around.

She walked into Alex's room, shaking his arm "Wake up." She paused "Wake up before the baby comes." She said sarcastically, shaking his arm again.

Alex groaned "Why so early?" He mumbled, laying his head down again.

"It's not. It's twelve." She chuckled "Let's go, sleepyhead." She walked out, into the bathroom to brush her hair and teeth.

They walked into Babies r us, completely overwhelmed. There was so much. So much. "Should we start with the crib?" Alex asked, grabbing a cart. I nodded, walking in. "This one is nice." He pointed to a white, modern-ish crib display.

"I like it. Maybe we should get something else. Like that." She said, walking up to a dark brown crib "Ooh! It can turn into a toddler bed." She raised her eyebrows "I think this is our best bet."

Alex nodded, agreeing. He grabbed one, putting it on the bottom of the cart. They walked forward, to the blankets and clothes. "Maybe this should wait..." He said

"Let's get a few gender neutral outfits for when it's born." She suggested, looking through the onesies that steered clear from gender conformity. "Awh!" She gushed, pulling out a grey onesie with a floral print "Look how cute!"

"I thought you said gender neutral." She raised his eyebrows "Okay, we can get one girl, one boy, and three neutral." He looked trough the rack, pulling out a sailboat onesie "This," He said, tossing it in the cart, taking the one Jo picked out and tossing it in "And this."

Jo pulled out three more, one of which was black and white star patterned, another one was white and grey chevron, and the last, bumble bees scattered across it. "How are these?" She asked, getting approval from Alex before throwing them in.

Alex got a few plain white onesies to go under the sleepers, incase the baby spat up. He grabbed two packs of newborn diapers "We will need more than this, but it'll do." They walked down the aisles, looking for bottles, pacifiers, and a breast pump.

Jo groaned, pressing on the top of her stomach to try reliving some pain "Braxton Hicks." She said before Alex could quiz her. "I have to pee. I'll be right back." She waddled off, on her way to find the bathroom.

As she was gone, he picked out a few pacifiers as well as some lovies.

They met up at the cashier, walking out. Alex opened the trunk of the car, loading it up "Go get in." He told her, seeing her face as another Braxton Hick started.

"Okay..." Jo hopped in, taking deep breaths. What if this wasn't Braxton Hicks? What if it really was time?


	20. chapter twenty

Jo and Alex sat with the disassembled crib, trying to figure it out. He held up the back "Get the side," He said, watching Jo push the right side up "No. Not that one."

"Is there a difference?!" She said, frustrated. She put it down, grabbing the opposite one. She watched as he screwed the pieces together. Jo bit her cheek, trying to ignore the pressure in her stomach.

Alex groaned as the screwdriver slipped off the screw, onto the wood, leaving a mark. "Damn it!" He rubbed the dented area before looking up. His expression changed completely "Hey, you okay?"

Jo nodded "I'm fine. Continue... this." she didn't know how long he would believe that- or how much longer she would believe that. The pain happened every ten minutes, increasing almost every time.

A few hours passed and they finally put the crib together, next to their bed. "It's cute, but there's no sheets." Jo crossed her arms, stepping back to look at their work.

"We will get that after you go in labor." Alex suggested, picking up the trash. He tossed them in the garbage, standing next to Jo. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders "Not too bad."

"Not too bad at all." She grinned, nodding. "Go to bed, i'll be there in a minute." She said, walking into the kitchen.

"Wait... what? You mean you're sleeping... in the same bed as me?" He asked, trying to hide a grin.

"Yeah. If it's okay with you." She said, grabbing a cloth to start the dishes.

"Yeah. Of course." He walked closer to the bed. He laid down, watching her. He didn't want to leave her in obvious pain, but he didn't want to be stubborn and force her to go to the hospital.

Jo gasped, putting the cloth down as a gush of liquid ran down her legs. "Alex!" She yelled, grabbing a towel.

He jumped up, running over to her "Did- did you pee yourself?" He asked, in some kind of shock. He didn't think it would be happening so soon. Thirty-two weeks was not safe. He grabbed her hands from behind, helping her stand. "Let's get you cleaned up and go to the hospital, okay?"

"Okay." Jo said, sniffling. Her eyes filled with tears. She wasn't ready.


	21. chapter twenty-one

Jo nearly had an anxiety attack on the way there. She was extremely nervous and scared. What if she couldn't do this? The fact that she was only thirty-two weeks never crossed her mind. And thank god it didn't. As for the contractions; every time one hit, she would go silent, only taking deep breaths (which Alex reminded her to do every time).

They walked into the ER, over to the nurses desk. "Can we get a room? My girlfriend is in labor." Alex said, tapping his fingers on the desk impatiently.

Jo opened her mouth to question him on the girlfriend thing, interrupted by a contraction. She looked down at yet another pair of her pants, soaked. "Damn..." She grabbed Alex's hand, holding it tight as they were escorted to their room.

She changed into a gown before the nurses hooked her up to the wires and IV. She laid in bed, on a pad for the amniotic fluid. She held Alex hand through every contraction. She was so thankful to have him here with her. At one point she thought she would had the baby in the bathroom of Paul's place.

Another nurse walked in. It seemed like there was a never ending loop of doctors and nurses coming in and out of the room. "I'm just going to find the baby's heartbeat and then i'll be out of your hair for a while." She smiled, strapping the mechanism on Jo. She furrowed her eyebrows, not being able to find a beat.

"Where is it?" Alex asked, his own heartbeat fastening. The last thing he wanted was to lose this baby.

Jo looked at the nurse as she tried finding the heartbeat. She bit her lip, trying to control her breathing.

The room filled with the sound of a baby's heartbeat, making them all sigh in relief. "Oh thank god." He said, leaning back.

Arizona came in and told them Jo was eight centimetres dilated, moving along quickly. They planned to have a few extra people in the room, incase of any unplanned issues.

A few hours had passed. Jo had used the peanut: a yoga ball in the shape of a peanut you put between your legs to help move along the labor. That helped a lot. She was now at nine centimetres. The nurses started getting the newborn stuff ready.

Alex smiled as he looked at the bed "They're going to be laying in that soon.." He looked down at Jo, smiling wider as he saw hers.

Arizona walked in, snapping a pair of gloves on "How you doing, momma?" She cheerfully chirped as she started to check her cervix "Ten centimetres. Are you ready?"

She shook her head as tears filled her eyes, which caught Alex's attention. "Hey, what's wrong?"

"I can't do this," She looked up at him, tears streaming down her face.

"What are you talking about?! You're the strongest woman i've ever known. If anyone could do this, it's you. You made it through a kidnapping. A frickin kidnapping!" He chuckled dryly "You can do this." He squeezed her hand.

Jo nodded, scooting up. She pushed on Arizona's count, holding her breath. Nothing in this world could describe this pain. It was unlike anything she had ever experienced. She laid back, taking a minute to breath.

"A few more, Jo. You've got this!" Encouraging words came from Arizona and Alex, seeing how discouraged she was.

Jo pushed a few more times, until it was the last one. At this point, she was beyond exhausted. She pushed with all of the power she had left in her body.

Tears fell from almost everyone in the room as it was filled with the gurgling cries of their baby. "It's a girl!" Arizona announced proudly as she wrapped her up in a towel, walking over to her Jo.

Jo bursted into tears as she felt her daughters skin against her chest. Nothing could change the pure joy she was feeling in this moment. "Hey, baby girl. It's your momma." She cried.

"Oh, Jo. She's perfect." Alex touched his baby's cheek with his thumb.

"So perfect." She wiped her tears as Alex gave her a kiss on her forehead. How did she ever think this would be awful?


	22. chapter twenty-two

Baby karev was officially an hour old. Five pounds and two ounces. She was in the last test she had to do. She passed all of the other ones. She was a rockstar. Jo and Alex had counted her fingers and toes about a million times.

Jo looked at Alex "I miss her." She frowned. She wanted to be with her 24/7, even if it was just to watch her.

"It's been twenty minutes." He chuckled, kissing her hand. "What should we name her?" He asked, thinking of a bunch of different ideas, mainly all boys names.

"Romona?" She asked, reaching for her phone to look up some more. She scrolled through the names "Ooh! Everly."

Alex shook his head "It doesn't fit her properly." He peered over her shoulder, reading the names "Megan?"

After what felt like a few hours of discussing names, they finally chose one, just in time for her to come back.

As she was laid in her arms, Jo smirked "It fits her so perfectly." He nodded, agreeing. They both stayed silent, in awe of their child. "Hello, Hazel Irene." That sentence alone could make them both cry, and it did. Her chubby pink cheeks could melt even the coldest of hearts. Her chestnut hair, just like Jo's. They hadn't gotten the chance to see her eyes, since she was taken almost immediately.

Jo gasped "Alex, look! She's opening her eyes." She watched in anticipation. Blue. Crystal blue. "Oh, my god..." Her jaw fell open

"You're so beautiful..." Alex kissed the palms on her tiny hand "You're going to need a new outfit."

Arizona walked in, ready to actually meet the baby. "How are you doing?" She asked, walking closer. She awed, looking at the baby. "What's her name?"

Jo and Alex looked at each other, grinning. "Hazel Irene Karev." Alex said. He could never get tired of that name.


	23. chapter twenty-three

Jo sat with Hazel in her arms, looking at Alex as he tossed out his empty cup that once held coffee. "What do we want to do?" She paused, taking in his confused gaze "for her feeding plan. Bottle or...?"

"Oh yeah. It would be kind of hard to breast feed her when you go back to work, but we can for her first few weeks?" He suggested, taking a seat on the sofa.

"Yeah. Lets do that." She unbuttoned her hospital gown, furrowing her eyebrows as she looked at Hazel. She tried getting her to latch a few times, failing miserably. "Alex?"

He walked to her side. It really kicked butt to have a peds surgeon as a boyfriend (or whatever he was). He frowned "Oh, so you're gonna be one of those babies?" He joked, taking Hazels hand. "We gotta get something in that tiny body of yours soon, pumpkin."

"I'll try again," Jo said. If she kept this up, Jo would be getting only a few hours a night. "Can you go get a lactation nurse?" She asked, stroking Hazels hair. "Even though you're being a pain, I still love you and your adorable attitude." She grinned down at her.

After the nurse came in, they got her to latch for a measly fifteen minutes. "At least she ate something.." Alex said, trying to keep her hopes up. They had spent more time trying to figure this out than actually feeding her.

"Yeah..." She clipped her gown up again, laying Hazel on her chest. She yawned, pushing the stray hairs from her bun out of her face "Can you take her? I'm really tired."

"Of course. She needs some daddy time anyway." He smirked, sitting on the couch with her in his arms.

He started whispering to her as Jo fell asleep. "You've got the best mama ever, did you know that? You, Hazel Irene, are one lucky gal." He chuckled as she groaned, probably pooping. "I'll deal with that later, because right now I just want to spend time with you... even the stinky you."

He sat there for an hour, talking to his daughter. "And we can make a treehouse together. Just for you. Your brothers aren't allowed in it."

"When did she get brothers?" Jo grinned, stretching her arms out. She sat up, wincing. She brushed off Alex's half concerned look as she took a sip of water "Have you been talking to her this whole time?"

He nodded "I couldn't stop myself. She's such a good listener." he mused.

"That's because it's the only thing she can do."

"Nuh uh. She can poop, sleep. But, i'm not sure about the eating yet." He chuckled as Jo rolled her eyes "Do you want to try again?"

She nodded as Alex stood up and laid Hazel in her arms. Jo's face lit up as she latched on almost immediately. "You did it, berry." She grinned proudly.

Alex smiled wide "I'm so proud of you." He said, watching his sleepy daughter eat. To who the message was aimed at, i'm not sure. He was very proud of both his girls.


	24. chapter twnety-four

Jo woke up, sobbing. She picked Hazel up, holding her tight to her chest. Unluckily, Alex had been in the cafeteria, getting breakfast. She sat there, shaking and crying with a newborn in her arms.

Alex nearly dropped his water bottle when he walked in. "Hey, hey, hey.." He ran to her side "What's going on?" He side hugged her, rubbing her arm. "Let me take Hazel, okay?" Jo nodded, handing her over. She fell into his arms as soon as Hazel had been calmed down and put in her bed. "P- He-" She choked "He's going to take her."

"What?" He furrowed his eyebrows. His face relaxed when he realized she had a night terror. He hugged her tight "I'm here. No one is hurting you or Hazel." He rubbed her back. He had thought she was okay now. Maybe not fully, but at least not at night terror level.

Jo nodded, soaking his shirt. She wiped her tears, slowly but surely calming down.

A few minutes later she was almost back to her normal self, just shaken up. She had told her self It was just a dream. He's in prison. multiple times. It seemed to calm her down. She spent the whole morning with Hazel. She didn't want her out of sight. That was her baby girl and she'd do anything to protect her.

She stared into her beautiful blue eyes. She knew they wouldn't last, but she didn't mind. From what she read, they would probably become hazel, just like her own. Before she knew it, it was lunch time. "Are you hungry?" Alex asked her, smiling at them. She turned her head to face him "Yeah."

He grabbed two sandwiches. They sat on the bed, eating as Jo held Hazel to her breast. "I'm getting pretty good at this." She grinned proudly.

"Look at you go! One arm!" He smiled widely as he spoke with a full mouth. "She's also pretty good at that. She takes a few minutes to latch, but that's not bad."

She nodded "Im proud of her." She looked down to see her with closed eyes, still eating. "Sleep, girl." She chuckled.

A few minutes of silence past "I was thinking... maybe you should try therapy." Alex cautioned.

"I don't know... maybe." She shrugged "I'll try it." She agreed "I'll go to therapy to try and help, but I can't guarantee it will work."

"Of course." He nodded


	25. chapter twenty-five

"Are you almost ready to go?" Alex asked, standing with their packed bag "How long does it take to put mascara on?"

She looked in the mirror, coating her eyelashes with black as her jaw dangled open "Just give me a minute." She stalled "Are you sure Hazel is ready to leave?" She asked, closing the mascara bottle.

"Yes, Jo. She passed all her tests with flying colours. She's a warrior." He said "We have to pick her up from the NICU, but her car seat is ready."

Jo walked out, putting her makeup in her purse "Okay, lets go."

He picked up the car seat and walked out with her, smiling. He couldn't believe they got to take Hazel home today.

They walked into the NICU. Jo kept her head down, overwhelmed by her emotions. Looking at all the sick babies made her feel horrible- usually. Usually they would make her feel awful- that's why she planned on going into Ortho- however, right now, she was scared and nervous. She was taking home a baby. Her baby. She was totally, completely, and utterly responsible for whatever happened to her. Making her terrified. She already felt like she failed by giving birth before she was full term.

Alex tugged on her hand "Jo? Do you want to carry her out?" He asked.

She looked up, a hitch in her breath when she saw her child. She cracked an unnerving smile, picking her up "Hey..." She laid her on her chest.

"Everything okay?" He asked, looking into her eyes.

She nodded "Yeah, I'm okay. Just nervous. We won't have the nurses around incase something goes wrong. She's a premie, whether we want to admit it or not. She's going to have problems. Her lungs are a bit underdeveloped- I know her breathing is fine, but, things can change like" -she snapped her fingers quietly- "That."

He took her hand to stop her panicked rambling "Babe, it's okay.We're both surgeons. She's in great hands, plus she has weekly checkups. If she has a problem, we will know. Right now, let's take our 6 lb 1 oz bundle of joy home, okay? If hell breaks loose, we know how to deal with it."

She nodded, flattening Hazels hair "You're right.". She laid Hazel down in her car seat, buckling her in and covering her up with her pink blanket with the tassels at the edges. She laid her stuffed duck, the one that matched her onesie, next to her "Look how cute!" She grinned, grabbing her phone and snapping a few photos.

Alex smirked, crouching down. He lifted her hands over the blanket. He slid her little gloves on them, to stop her from scratching her delicate skin. He picked up the carseat and walked out with Jo's hand laced with his.


	26. chapter twenty-six

Jo and Alex lumbered to the car with Hazel in her car seat. They tried keeping the snow out of her face, but it was no use. She popped her eyes open as the white flakes fell on her nose. Instead of crying, she simply looked around. Her eyes gleamed with wonder. This was so fascinating to her, being a few days old and all. Jos eyes wandered to Hazel, for the tenth time since they left the hospital. "Alex, look. I think she likes the snow." She beamed. Everything Hazel did was a marvel in her parents eyes. Every blink. Every breath. Every stretch of her fingers. Even her cries.

Alex looked at her, smirking. He pulled her hat down and wiped her pink nose. "She's going to freeze." He chuckled, walking faster to the car.

They walked in. Hazel had somehow managed to get into Alex's arms. He sat down on the couch. He hadn't even notice Jo stop in the doorway. This loft brought back so many forgotten memories (that she would've loved to keep forgotten).

He put his hand on Hazels tiny bottom, putting his head on the armrest. He left one spot open for Jo. Maybe, they could actually talk about what happened. Or maybe, they could just enjoy their company. He didn't know which he wanted more. Both would be beneficial.

She shuffled into the living room, sitting down on the old leather couch they found on eBay. It was comfortable, so why replace it? She kept her head down. It was obvious she was upset.

"Jo, you okay?" He whispered, trying not to wake the sleeping baby on his chest. After no response, he nudged her with his foot "Jo?"

"Oh, yeah. I'm fine. I just forgot- I remembered how many bad things happened in this loft." She frowned. "We still haven't talked-"

"I know. We need to." He paused "None of that should've happened. I'm sorry." He sounded genuine, and if she knew any better, he was. "Paul's trial-"

"No. please..." She spat— almost begged. "I don't want to think about him." She still refused to be left alone or to go get groceries alone. She needed someone there, so she felt safe.

"Sorry."

There was a long, thick silence before he spoke again. "Maybe tomorrow night when Hazel is asleep, we could get takeout and talk?" He suggested.

"I think that will be best," She nodded. "But, for now, I'm going to lay down." She stood up and limped to their bed, practically falling asleep before her head even hit the pillow.


End file.
